Froth-reducing discharge apparatus and process.



Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

Z SHEETS-8HET I.

" 'IVF. [FIT CH'E' BT'TF'WR'I G H T FRUTH REDUCING DISCHARGE APPARATUS AND PROCESS.

APPLICATION FILED ocr. 29, m5.

M.. LEITCH & B. R. WRIGHT FROTH REDUCING DISCHARGE APPARATUS AND PROCESS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 29, H5.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

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MEREDITH LEITCH AND BERT ROBERT lVRIG-HT, OF ."POUGHKEE PSIE, NEW YORK,

ASSIGNUBS TO THE DE TJAVAL SEPARATOR COMPANY,

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

OF NEW YORK, .N. Y., A

FBOTIH-REDUGING DISCHARGE APPARATUS AND PROCESS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

Application filed October 29, 1915. Serial No. 58,555.

To all whom it may concern: a

Be it known that we, Mnnnorrn Lnirorr and Bear It. \Vruorrr, both citizens of the United States, and residing at" oughkeepsie, county of Dutchess, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Froth-Reducing'Bischargc Apparatus and Process; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact dcscr' 'on of the invention, such as will enable hers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to centrifugal ap paratus provided with froth reducing dis-- charge passages and orifices, and to a process of reducing froth formation in suchapparatus.

v the orifice.

In manycentri'fugal devices, as, for instance, milk clarifiers, emulsifiers and homo;

genizers, and cream separators, which are operated at high speed, the treated liquid leaves the rotary elementof the machine with such velocity that it entrains consider able air and causes a lar c amount of froth in the discharge liquid. '11 many cases, this froth'is found to be very objectionable.

With the common arrangements of can trifugal apparatus, the liquid comes from the interior of the bowl and is discharged outwardly in approximately a radial direction, leavin the discharge orifice with a velocity equal to the peripheral velocity of From such orifices .the stream is; discharged in the form of a broad, thin sheet, presenting a maximum area to the air fullyappcar from the followlng detailed doand thus further increasin the production of froth, inasmuch as this t iin sheet, traveling at a high velocity, tends to be broken up into a spray,

It is an object of'the present invention to overcome such disadvantages and to reduce theformation of froth ..m such centrifugal apparatus. This is efiected, first, by reducing the speed of the liquid discharged from the apparatus, and, second, by so controlling the discharge that it shall be in the form of relatively thick, solid streams having a minimum periphery, and consequently a minimum tendency to entrain air.

The reduction in speed of the liquid is ac complished by making the discharge passages from the apparatus of a trailing form so that the liquid, in passing from the interior of the apparatus outward, is propelled in a rearward direction with respect to that of rotation and discharged as nearly as possible in a direction which is tangential to the periphery at the point of dischargmand in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the apparatus. Instead of leaving the apparatus in a radial direction and" with a velocity equal to the peripheralvelocity of the discharge orifice, the liquid has a much lower radial and peripheral velocity.

The formation of streams of a minimum periphery is accomplished by making the dis.- charge passages of such a form that these passages terminate in discharge orifices of a generally round or square cross-section. In centrifugal apparatus in which the liquid escapes over regulating weir of the bowl in broad, thin sheets, discharge passages are constructed and arranged to catch and con" centrate this sheet into thick, solid streams of the nature indicated.

Each of these arrangements results in a decrease in the froth formed. The advantages of these arrangements, however, are particularly effective in accomplishing a material reduction in the quantity of froth pro- Fig. 4 isan outside View of the top of the milk clarifier of Fig.3.

Fig. 5 'showsth clamping nut 01'; Fig. 3 removed from themilk clarlfier.

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of this nu't.

Fig. 7 shows a modification of the inven tion and Fig. Sshows a further modification of the invention. v

Referring first to Fig. 1 and Fi 2, the cream separator illustrated is me e up of the .bottom 1 suitably mounted upon the propelling shaft 2, and having mounted thereon the top of the separator bowl 3. Gen trally arranged Within the bowl is the in letchamber 4 having at its lower end out? wardly opening passages 5 leading to the .-separating elements or disks 7,; suitably o the discharge-orifice. In the coi'istruction of 1- and 2, however, thechannelor spaced apart, the top disk being provided with upwardly extending wings .8 for emacin the same from the top of theloowl. The

top clamping nut is indicated at 6. Within the arator bowl, is a cream disk 9, inside ofwhlch the cream passes up and then out through theopening 10. The construction ofthe cream separator thus far described a common construction, and is intended to illustrate a suitable cream separator structure with which the novel apparatus of the present invention can be'combined.

i The top of the separator bow]: is provided with upwardly extending passages .11 for the skimmed milk which rises outside of the cream disk'l). From these, openings 11 the skimmed milk overflows into the discharge passagesor channels 12,.the-botto1n edges of the o enmgs 11 forming Weirs, similar to the over ow weir of a dam. During this time the liquid is traveling at 1118331116 rate as, or

p a little faster than, the bowl.

"With previously used constructions the liquid after flowing over the top e hes of the passages 11, passes freely over the flat surface in agenerally radial. direction with a speed which increases until the liquid is :finally discharged frolnthe apparatus with a ripheral speed substantially'equal to that -'passage 12 extends both outwardly and rear- 7 wardly with respect tothe direction of'ro tation of the boivl so that the liquid inpass.

ing outward must pass rearwardly, relative to the bow1,and escape with a much reduced speed. a It Will be seen that the discharge passage 12 is of a: convergent nature and concentrates.

the escaping liquid from a thin sheet to a stream of approximately. square cross-seize tion. thus "propelling the milk rearwardly, and discharging it in-a -generaltangential direction, it will be seen that the veloci'ty of the discharged stream is much less,

both radially and peripherally, than that of the periphery of the bowl from which it is discharged.

B 'fiallUS materially reducing the velocity of fit stream, and by concentratingthis stream into a think and solid stream, as distinguished' from a thin broad film, there is less hreaking up into a spray and much less froth formation than with construction here'- tofore used.

In Fig. 8 is shown a, milk clarilier of the kind described in the Wright Patent llo. 1,122,457 granted December 529. 1911 This milk clarifier is made up of the bowl member mounted upon the shaft 2, and having an upper member 18 suitably secured thereto and provided with a restrictet'l upper end. Within the clarificr is the central supply mcmhci. 3-1- from which the milk is dis Unhinged out'anrdi'v at the bottom of the clarifier through passages 15. The clarifying takes place in the outer portion of the bowl from which mill; gmsscs back be tween the disks 1'? to the top of the bowl around the centr'l chamber 1%,. A. to clamp nut 16 is irovided at the top of? the clarifier in proper position.

Between the neck of the clarifier howl the clamping nut 16 are provided discharge passages for the escape of the milk which has been clarified. ln the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3, 1-, 5 and '6, the nnt16 has discharge channels '20 therein on its underside, these channels extending' ren-rwardly with respect to the direction of rotation of the bowl. In their preferred form, these channels graduail'y change fron a broad fiat form at their entrance to either an approxhnately square or cii'cuiar form their discharge ends. so that a wide inlet is )rovided for the mill: film which is concenl or holding the central chamber 1 L trai'cd into a thick solid stream during its inlhc top of the bowl instead of in the 'bot-- tom of the nut 16", thesepassa 'es being of a similar convergent nature, am rearwardly 1 arranged.

In the modification of Fig. 8, channels are provided in the under side of the nut and the top of thehowl, these channels heing so constructed and arranged that they can be }made to register with each other to form passages of, a substantially; rounded form at their discharge ends, although itwill be understoodtha-t these will operate taneously shaping the a similar manner without registration with each other.

With the arrangement of Figs. 3 to 8, the clamping nut, when removed, exposes the discharge passages so that they can be read ily inspected and cleaned, and thus kept in proper sanitary condition The liquid, after clarification in the body of the bowl, as more fully described in Pat-- ent No. 1,122,457, rises up in a thin, annular stream inside the neck of the top 13 of the bowl and enters the channels or passages 20 and is propelled outwardly and rearwardly through them, being discharged therefrom in the form of thick, solid streams. Because of the shape and. arrangement of these passages 9,0, the streams are gradu liy concern trated from a thin, fiat cros. on to a more nearly round or square cross-se .'.tion, and their direction is changed from radial to approximately tangential in a rearward direction, so that the absolute speed of the discharged liquid is much less of the discharge orifice.

It will be seen. that in both the cream separator of Figs. 1 and 2, and in the milk clarifier of Figs. 3 to 8, the liquid is propellcd- Within the a paratus through an outwardly and rearwar .ly extending dis charge passage with a reduced velocity, and in the form of relatively thick, solid streams. It will further be seen that these istreams are ad *antageously. of a convergent nature so that the milk or other liquid is concentrated from its usually broad, thin stream into a stream of a thick, solid nature and of relatively small periphery with respect to its cro. ...-section.

hat We claim is:

l. The proce. of reducing froth fornia tion in. the ills harge oi the liquid from hip-fa speed centrifugal apparatus having an overflow discharge. which consists in prothan the speed.

'pclli'ng the liquid. in an outwardly and rear wardlv r-.:- t'cnding (hrection from the over flow point ot the apparatus, and simultuneously rive-helping the al thin fiat strean-i to a relatively thicker stream with-- out reducing the cross sectional area, whercby the velocity of-li-he'dishar e stre i and itscxposed surface are both i .du

'2. The process of reducing froth-formation in the dischar 'c of liquid; from high speed centrifugal apparatus, which consists in causing the liquid to follow an outwardly and rearwardly ext-ending path discharged from the apparatus, and si1n ulstream to reduce the perirwtcr without decreasing the cross sec- I ma and discharging the same with redl velocity and in relatively thicker solid streams in a general tangential direction; substantially a; desc ibed.

weir, an outwardly and 3. The process of reducing froth forma tion in the discharge of liquid from high speed centrifugal apparatus which coluprises propelling the liquid in the form of thin sheets to the discharge passages, thence in. outwardly extending converging discharge streams and finally discharging the liquid in relatively thicker independent streams; substantially as described' 4. The process of reducing froth formation in the discharge of liquid from high speed centrifugal apparatus which prises propelling the liquid in the form of thin sheets to the discharge passages, thence in outwardly and reurwari'lly extending converging discharge streams, and finally discharging the liquid with rcduciul elocity inielatively thicker independent streams in a general tangential direction; substair lially a describml.

5. liquid centrifuge l. apparatus provided with u plurality of relatively long dis charge ucirs, and, leading from each weir. an outwardly extending discharge passage converging in one direction proportioned and arranged to discharge the liquid there from in solid streams thicker than at the weir and without increase in nozzle velocity; si'lbstantially described.

6. A liquid centrifugal apparatus provided with a plurality of relatively long discharge Weirs, and, leading from each rearwardly extend ing discharge passage, said passages being of an outwardly converging nature and arranged to discharge the liquid therefrom in solid strea is without increase in nozzle ve locity and .n a, general tangential. direction; substantiallyas described.

7. A lll tridimntrifugal apparatus pre vided with a bowl having an upwardly ex tending neck, and a clamping .nut, out Wardly and rearwardly extending discharge passages being provided between the bowl neck and nut so proportioned and ar-- ranged as to rate streams and in a general tangential di- 'rection without increase. in nozzle velocity;

substantially as described.

8. A liquid centrifugal apparatus provided with a bowl having an upwardly extending neck, and a clamping nut, outwardly and rearwardly extending discharge passages of a convergent nature being provided between the bowl neck and nut arranged to discharge the liquid in separate streams and with reduced velocity in a general tangential direction; substantially as described.

9. A. liquid centrifugal apparatus, pro vided with a discharge-controlling weir over which the liquid passes in thin ribbon-like sircamfand'provlded further with a rear wardlymuri ed discharge passage leading discharge the liquid in sepa frbm said weir and'fiso itl'rgul g ed 21$, to gather "strganyinm a I V wdi zninished 5 -'SC1ibE/d.

-10."-A:1i "vided Wit propoition'qd said ribbon-like elatiyely thick strgzim of periphery;*subtantizplly as fugal. appamfus, proge controlling weir assess" in thin ribbondcqd further with adinpg from said weir and terminating in a dischar small periphery" Of .mlafively leg ina thick st the hquigl issi res jngxidingly diminished :stantially .s describe In testimgn naturps.

ream f gor periphery; suby whereof W e affix 011: gig

MEREDITH E TO'H ROBERT BIG T 

